Physicists Propose Compact “Neutrino Laser” – A Potential Breakthrough in Particle Physics and Beyond
CAMBRIDGE,MA – In a growth that could revolutionize neutrino research and open doors to novel communication and medical technologies,a team of physicists has proposed a design for a “neutrino laser” – a device capable of generating a concentrated beam of neutrinos,and potentially small enough to fit on a tabletop. The research, published in Physical review Letters, details a method for synchronizing the radioactive decay of atoms to produce a supercharged burst of these elusive “ghost particles.”
Unlike current methods of neutrino generation, which rely on massive reactors or sprawling particle accelerators, this proposed system leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to achieve a substantially smaller footprint. The team’s concept centers around cooling a gas of radioactive atoms to temperatures colder than deep space, inducing a quantum state known as a Bose-Einstein condensate.
“In our concept for a neutrino laser, the neutrinos woudl be emitted at a much faster rate than they normally would, sort of like a laser emits photons very fast,” explains Ben Jones, associate professor of physics at the University of Texas at Arlington, and a co-author of the study.
Normally, radioactive decay is a slow process. The researchers used rubidium-83 as an example, noting its half-life of 82 days – meaning half of a sample would decay over nearly three months. Though, their calculations suggest that cooling a million rubidium-83 atoms into a Bose-Einstein condensate could synchronize their decay, releasing a coherent stream of neutrinos within minutes.
“This is a novel way to accelerate radioactive decay and the production of neutrinos, which to my knowledge, has never been done,” says MIT physics professor and co-author Joseph formaggio. The idea draws inspiration from “superradiance,” a well-established optical phenomenon where atoms emit light in unison, amplifying the signal. Applying this principle to radioactive decay, the team believes, could yield a similarly amplified burst of neutrinos.
The potential applications of a functional neutrino laser are far-reaching. Neutrinos interact very weakly with matter, making them ideal for communication through obstacles like Earth or even to deep-space habitats. Furthermore, the radioactive decay process also produces isotopes with potential benefits for cancer diagnostics and imaging.
“It should be enough to take this radioactive material, vaporize it, trap it with lasers, cool it down, and than turn it into a Bose-Einstein condensate,” Jones states. “Then it should start doing this superradiance spontaneously.”
While the concept is promising, significant challenges remain. Creating a Bose-Einstein condensate from radioactive atoms has never been accomplished, and the experiment demands extreme precision and stringent safety protocols.Nevertheless,the researchers are optimistic about demonstrating a small-scale proof of concept.
“If it turns out that we can show it in the lab, then people can think about: Can we use this as a neutrino detector? Or a new form of communication?” Formaggio asks. “That’s when the fun really starts.”
The study was published in Physical Review Letters and initially reported by MIT News.